Method and means of merchandising piece goods



July 29, 1924. 1,502,689

E. SEYFA RTH METHOD AND MEANS oF MERCHANDISING PIECE: GooDs Filed Deo.31. 1921 Georgian:

Gew-sima. Aa L m Patented .luly 29, 1924.

UNITED STATES EDWARD SEYFARTH, 0F DIXON, ILLINOIS.

METHOD AND' J'lllEANSl OF MERCHANDISING PIECE GOODS.

Application filed December 31, 1921. Serial No. 526,434.

To all whomy t may concern.'

Be it known that I, EDWARD SEYFARTH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dixon, in the county of Lee and State ofV Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods and Means ofMerchandising- Piece Goods, of which the following' is a specification.

In the retail merchandising of piece goods it is customary for theprospective purchasers to take for inspection, samples of various gradesand qualities of goods in which they are interested. Under the presentpractice, these samples are generally cut one at a time from the looseend of the piece goods, consequently causing considerable waste.Furthermore, much inconvenience and confusion is caused by the lack ofmeans for properly identifying samples, and especially so by reason ofthe close similarity of shades, textures and designs. The primaryobject, therefore, of the present invention is to provide a novel methodand means of merchandisingpiece goods with a view to overcoming theabove and other objections. My invention aims by this method to providea more convenient, practical and efficient way of merchandising piecegoods with the view to benefiting both the seller and the buyer.

Another important object is the provision of novel means employed inconnection with the merchandising of piece goods for furnishing certaindesirable information and data in connection with each holt of goods,which data shall be readily accessible, although normally concealed.

Still another important object is the provision of novel means forsupporting a label or tab in a display position in connection with abolt of goods; and furthermore, to

support such label in co-operative relation with a sample holdercontaining samples of piece goods.

I have also aimed to provide means constructed in a simple and novelmanner for the practice of said method of merchandising, and which maybe produced at a comparatively low cost and will be serviceable andpractical for the purposes intended.

Other objects and attendant advantages will be appreciated by thosefamiliar with this art as the invention becomes better understood byreference to the following description when considered in connectionwith the which- Figures 1 and 2 are end views of a bolt of piece goodscarrying label holders enibodying my invention;

Fig. 3 is a top view of a combined label andsample holder removed .fromthe bolt;

Fig. 4 is a rear view of said holder;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the wire frame of the holder;

Fig. 6 is a development of the sample pocket body before application tothe label holder;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the label holder frame and sample'pocket body assembled, and showing the sample holder in position;

Fig. 8 is a holder;

Fig. 9 is a view of a sample;

Fig. 10 is a detail view of the back of the label holder;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged vertical section through the center of the labelholder shown in Fig. `1; and

Fig. 12 is a view of the label removed from the holder.

The means employed in practicing my novel method of merchandising piecegoods may be of any suitable or preferred construction. In the presentinstance, I have forV purpose of illustration shown a practicalapplication cif the method embodying a combined label and sample carrierof nc-vel construction. The method will be explained after a descriptionof the means utilized in its practice. V

Referring now to Fig. 5, it will be observed that I have provided a wireframe adapted for carrying alabel or tab in a display position at oneend of a bolt of piece goods or the like.' In they present instance,this frame is formed of a single piece of wire shaped medially toprovide a labelholding portion 15, shoulders 16, and sides 17terminating in ends 18 and 19, the former Vof which pass through a loop21 formed by the latter. This construction permits the sides 17 to besepara-ted or compressed laterally may be desired in accommodating thehold-er to variations in the width of center-boards on which the piecematerial is wound. A suitableback 22 is applied to the label-holdingportion 15, at present by accompanying drawings, in

perspective view of the sample Vconnection with the frame.

means of extensions 23 turned over the wire. it label 24- conforming inshape to the label holder proper, is adapted to be pressed into thecircular portion and to be retained therein as shown in 11, byengagement of its peripheral edge between the back 22 and the holderportion rIlhe back has an opening 25 permitting ins rtion of a hardobject for ejeeting the label. The label-holding portion l5 Will beshape; to accommodate labels of suitable or preferred shape anddimensions. TFor example, in Fig. 2 I have shown the portion l5rectai'igular in shape to accommodate a similarly shaped label 2l.

In Fig. 6, I have shown the development of a sample bony designed to bepermanently attached to the label holder body. This body, preferably ofa tough fibre paper shaped to provide a top portion 2G and a bottomportion Q7, including` end flaps 28 and 29 and side'tlaps 30 and 3l. Aretaining strip 33 will be glued onto one of the body portions at oneside of their juncture as shown in the drawing. Each portion of 'thebody is out away at said juncture as noted by numeral Se, toaccommodatethe looped end 2l of the Wire frame when the latter ispositioned in operative relation on the body'QGmQT as indicated indotted lines, Fig. 6. This cutaway also facilitates flexing4 of the bodyportionV after the parts are completely assembled, when the sides i7 arepressed inwardly, likewise compressingor flexing said body. Beforeassembly of said body and the Wire frame the ends 28 and 29 will beturned inwardly and glued to their respective body portions, therebyforming reinforced ends. The Wire frame Will then be applied and theside flaps 3l will be turned inwardly over the sides I7 of the frame andglued to the body proper. The top port-ion QG will then be folded overthe ends 18-19 and glued along the strip 83 and the side flaps 30 willbe turned over the longitudinal side edges of the body portion 27 andglued beneath the latter, as shown in Fig. 4. By reason of the foregoingconstruction the Wire frame will be securely looked in 'the pap-er bodyand the latter Will form a pocket as clearly shown in `lig. 7, for thereception of a sample holder It will also be obs rvedthat the pocketbody is elfectually reinforced at its edges and firmly associated andsecured in This gives a very durable construction at a low cost. Thesample holder 35 may be of any suitable or preferred construction, andat present is shown in the form of connect'd covers adapted to open as abook reception of a plurality of samples 36. A i 'ece of coarse pilevelvet 37 is applied to sample pocket body for retaining the body inoperative position by reason of the for the engagement of such velvetpile Wit-h the goods.

The sample pocket body is also utilized for carrying an original entryrecord sheet for the reception of data with reference to the particularpiece goods with which the holder is associated. As shown in Fig. 3, Ihave printed on the top portion 26 certain titles for original entry ofinformation for record and reference purposes.

Coming now to the method of merehandising referred to above, it Will benoted that both the label 2st and the sample 36 carries data including agiven number identifying the particular piece of goods, the price, theWidth of goods and the name by which it is known. The label on thesample also has the naine of the seller, that is, the retailer. Thesesamples are made from a strip cut from one end of the goods. It willthus be manifest that a single strip will furnish many samples, whichvvill be individually labeled to correspond with 'the label V24;identifying the particular piece of goods. By this practice alone, aconsiderable saving in material is effected as it overcomes the customof promiscuously cutting samples from the end of the material. Thelabeled samples are then placed in the holder 35 and theV latter will beinserted in the pocket. The label holder bearing the label will then beinserted into the end of a bolt of piece goods, as shown in Fig. l, inwhich the pocket portion and the sample carrier are completely concealedand the label holding end is positioned in the end of the center-board.In this position the shoulders 1G engage the ends of the material andassist in properly locating and holding the label holder in position.lVhen now a prospective purchaser desires a sample of any particularpiece of material, it may be very quickly and conveniently furnished,simply by withdrawing the label-sample carrying body sufficiently topermit removal of samples from the pocket therein. Should the recipientof the sample later desire to purchase, it will only be necessary togive 'the piece number, which immediately and unquestionably identifiesthe particular material, thus avoiding mistakes and greatly simplifyingmerchandising of this kind of goods. The information contained on thesample pocket body remains identified with the particular piece ofgoods, and in the event it is desired to obtain further data withreference to the original cost, or any information not contained on thesample carrier, the book and page number given env said label enablesquick reference to the original invoice or to the properietorsconfidential records. It. ywill be observed that the data contained onthe sample carrier body is impersonal to the clerk, and that theproprietor of one in authority, may

quickly ascertain by referring back to the book records any conidentialinformation respecting any particular piece of goods. The printed titleson the sample-carrying body may be applied by means of a label or may bedirectly printed on the body according to individual desires. It Will benoted that when the label v2a is in display position, it does notobstruct the trade mark or trade name on the end of the center board.

By means of the method herein disclosed, the merchandising of piecegoods is materially simplied and generally improved. It facilitates thekeeping of records in connection with the goods, promotes convenience inselling, avoids confusion and mistakes in identifying the differentgoods and effects a saving both of material and time.

It is believed that the foregoing conveys a clear understanding of theobject-s prefaccd above, and while I have illustrated but a singleWorking embodiment, it should be understood that considerable changemight be made in the form of the means for 'putting my improved methodinto practice,

without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention asexpressed in the appended claims.

I claim: g

l. A label holder comprising a Wire frame shaped to provide alabel-,carrying portion and longitudinal sides, the former of which isadapted to peripherally engage a label, and the latter to be inserted inthe end of a bolt of piece goods for supporting said label-carryingportion in a display position, and a sample pocket body consisting of atop and a bottom portion having marginal edges folded over said sidesfor securing the body portion and said frame together, said bodyproviding a pocket for the reception of samples.

2. A label and sample carrier to be used yin the merchandising of piecegoods coinprising a label holder having a 'label-holding portion adaptedto be supported in a display position at one end of a bolt ofy bolt in aconcealed position and with said label-holding portion in a displayposition, a label on the face of said label-holding portion containingreference data including identification of the particular piece goods onthe bolt, a sample holder separate from the label holder, and sample.labels adapted to be attached to samples of the piece goods and havingreference data including identification of the particular piece goods onsaid bolt, said sample holder being constructed for carrying a pluralityof said labeled samples, and said supporting portion of the label holderbeing constructed for carrying'said sample holder and for permittinginsertion of said Sample holder and removal thereof from saidsupporting,

portion Without removing the labelrholder from its position on the bolt.

3. A label and sample carrier as set forth in claim 2, in which thesupporting portion of the label holder has a forwardly and upwardlyopening pocket for the reception of the sample holder.

4. A label carrier of the character described comprising a label holderhaving a label-holding portion and a'supporting `portion, the latter ofwhich is adapted to be inn serted into one end of a bolt of piece goodsfor supporting the label-holding portion in a display position, saidlabel-holding portion being formed of a piece of Wire bent to provide amarginal label engaging edge, and a back secured to said marginal Wireportion and permitting insertion of the marginal edge of alabel betweensaid back and the Wire so as to retain the label in position, said backhaving an opening for ejecting the label.

EDWARD SEYFARTH.

